The value of U.S.-Canada freight fell sharply in April, according to a new U.S. Transportation Department report, as overall freight traffic between all three North American Free Trade Agreement countries also declined.
U.S.-Canada freight totaled US$48.8 billion in April, down 12.5 percent from a year earlier, as all modes of transportation – truck, rail, air, pipeline and vessel – carried a lower value of U.S.-Canada freight than a year earlier.
The top commodity category transported between the U.S. and Canada was vehicles and parts, of which 58.2 percent moved by truck and 39.2 percent moved by rail.
Vehicles and parts replaced mineral fuels as the top commodity in March. Mineral fuels had been the top commodity by value moved between the U.S. and Canada for 29 consecutive months starting in November 2012. This change is due, in large part, to a decline in the unit price of mineral fuels in recent months.
Trucks carried 58 percent of the US$48.8 billion of freight to and from Canada, followed by rail at 16.9 percent.